June 15, 1882.] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 485 
A trench is cut through the border near the extremi¬ 
ties of the roots of each Vine about every second year ; 
a little fresli-slaked lime is mixed with the old soil, 
which is then returned and trampled well down. There 
is no inducement for the roots to come here in prefer¬ 
ence to any other part of the border, for where the 
roots already are is the richest, and in that lies the 
secret of keeping them at home. I have no doubt 
some of my readers will now wonder how it is possible 
to supply sufficient material to the surface for the pur¬ 
pose of keeping up the supply without rising to an in¬ 
convenient height. Well, it is not a large bulk of 
material that is wanted when once we find the right 
sort. It does no manner of good in the way of feeding 
to put manure 3 or 4 inches thick on to the top of a 
Vine border; the Vines cannot possibly consume that 
amount, and if they could it would only have an in¬ 
jurious effect on them. 
The manure I use is applied at the rate of about 
half a bushel to the square yard, and that is ample for 
the purpose, but unfortunately I cannot obtain half as 
much as I want of the right sort. It consists of soil 
passed through dry earth closets, and also some from 
a dry earth urinal, with which is mixed a little wood 
ashes, and occasionally a few half-inch bones. This 
manure is spread on the border in March, and as 
the border is dry then on the surface, the manure 
itself soon dries, so that when the crust is broken to 
the depth of 1 or H inch about the first week in April 
for the first watering, it mixes with the surface soil, 
and by the time the watering is finished the manure 
has all disappeared. In addition to this, at the water¬ 
ing given about the time of flowering a little stimulant 
is given in the form of Standen’s manure, about half a 
pound being spread over 10 square yards. If we 
except a sprinkling of lime which will now be given 
about every other autumn and watered in, this is 
all my Vines receive in the shape of manure, and 
according to present appearances is all they want.— 
Wm. Taylor. 
(To be continued.) 
LATE BROCCOLI AND EARLY CAULIFLOWERS. 
I cannot see that “ L. D. W.’s ” method (see page 398) of 
growing Cauliflowers is a very profitable one, unless it be to 
obtain a few to come in between Broccoli and the Cauliflowers. 
But it is very rare that our Broccoli are over before the Cauli¬ 
flowers come in. 
I sow Cauliflower seed at the usual time—twice in August, and 
when they have two leaves beside the seed leaves they are pricked 
out 4 inches apart in an open piece of ground, and when large 
enough (generally about the middle of October) they are planted 
out, some into handiights and frame ; and the rest, generally about 
half the number, are planted, one row about 15 inches from the 
bottom of a south wall, and a second row 2 feet from the wall. 
About the end of November as much earth as is possible is drawn 
up by the hand round each stem ; this protects them from frosts 
and winds, and keeps the stems drier, they are then left without 
any further protection. 
During the three late severe winters we had so many things to 
cover that we could not afford more than an old piece of matting 
for each handlight and frame, and nearly all the plants wrnre 
killed, the few that were left in the handiights were those in the 
centre. What may perhaps appear the most strange was, that 
during the three winters I did not lose more than 5 per cent, of 
those planted out under the wall, and I do not think it was the 
frost that killed any of them, but slugs. Those that were near 
the wall were stronger plants in spring than the few that were 
left under glass. In February the plants nearest the wall are 
thinned out to from 15 to 18 inches apart. These thinnings and 
the second row are’ planted out generally between the rows of 
Peas. Those that are left come into use first. There are some fit 
to cut now (19th May), and we have still some Broccoli left of 
Cattell’s Eclipse, Knight’s Protecting, and a small variety I have 
without a name. I may add that the above sorts and Suttons’ 
Late Queen stood the severe winters better than any other varie¬ 
ties I had, but they were all laid toward the north at the begin¬ 
ning of November—an old practice too often neglected now. 
The varieties of Cauliflowers that I grow are Suttons’ King of 
the Cauliflowers, and First Crop, Early London, and Walcheren. 
I hope to give those varieties a trial that “ L. D. W.” so highly 
recommends.—J. L. 
THE COMING CAMPAIGN. 
The rosy and leafy month of June has arrived, and with it 
come also all the sounds and signals of coming strife. Happily, 
unlike the “ wars of the Roses ” in times past, we look for no 
pride of chivalry to be laid low, or homes to be desolated—no 
streams of blood to flow. The strife is friendly ; the spoils of 
victory may be taken without the ghost of the slain haunting the 
victor, and they who but a while ago contested in fierce strife 
may be seen, like counsel for plaintiff and defendant, quietly hob¬ 
nobbing together after the fight is over. But it is astonishing 
how, as the time draws nigh, the excitement begins to spread. 
Old hands may take it more quietly, but there are ever and anon 
new combatants who want to know all about the terms and 
character of the contest. As Secretary of the National Rose 
Society all sorts of questions are addressed to me. One wants to 
know where boxes are to be bad ; another what sort of tubes are 
the best; another, who has been busily organising a new society, 
wants to know if a judge could be recommended to them, what 
sort of tickets are to be used, &c. As far as I am personally con¬ 
cerned, I ought to be divisable into two or three if I were to fulfil 
all the engagements I am asked to fulfil as judge. Old friends 
must have the preference, but there are some new ventures to 
which I shall look with interest, and if health is spared to tell of 
my experience. 
Everything promises a glorious Rose season. One subject 
which had distressed growers w r as the long-continued dry weather. 
We have had in all parts of the country most splendid rains, 
washing away aphides and making the plants look absolute per¬ 
fection. Another matter of anxiety was the supposed earliness of 
the season. Dreadful things were said as to the Roses being all 
over before the show season came on, but these copious rains 
have cooled both the atmosphere and the ground; and although 
here and there blooms are coming out, yet, as far as I have been 
able to see in my own and other gardens, Roses have been at a 
standstill for some time. Of course everything depends on the 
weather of the next fortnight, but unless we have a burst of 
tropical heat, such as we sometimes experience in June, I hardly 
think that we need fear a too early season. 
The chief contests this year will have an unusual degree of 
interest attached to them—at least, those in the chief amateurs’ 
classes. Hitherto it was almost a foregone conclusion that the 
two champions, Mr. R. N. G. Baker and Mr. Jowitt, would share 
the chief honours between them, that it became only a question 
which of the two would occupy the first place. Both of these 
renowned combatants have left the field, at least for the present, 
and it is utterly impossible to say who will take their place. 
There are several who are named for it, but it is something like the 
prophecies cn races—very wide of the mark. I believe it is all but 
impossible to say who will carry off the challenge trophy this year. 
As I have already indicated the fixtures of the shows, I may be 
permitted to say that since then I have heard of others. Brighton 
Show will be held on July 22nd, and Sittingbourne Amateur Show 
will be held on the 23rd. 
Amongst minor details of interest will be the character of the 
stands on which the Roses will be exhibited. Hitherto moss has 
been an absolute necessity, but in the schedules of the National 
Rose Society other suitable material is permitted. I have seen 
Roses exhibited on velvet, and remarkably well they look ; I have 
also seen them on wood painted and varnished like coachmakers 
do their panels, and we shall probably see these and other methods 
adopted. Doubtless where good moss is to be had it is preferable 
to anything else, but this is not obtainable everywhere. 
I have just received a letter from one of our largest growers, 
who says—“ From all I hear I should think the National Rose 
Society will at last have a genuine exhibition, in which all classes 
should be represented, and in first-class form. If the weather be 
suitable for a few days before the Show I fancy the Judges will 
have a hard task to find the winners, as I quite expect Jack will 
be nearly as good as his master in many cases.” 
May his anticipations and our hopes be realised.—D., Deal. 
Jersey Lily Turnip. —Previous to this year I knew this Turnip 
to be one of the best ever sent out, but it is only now that I have 
